lmb.shardsofhonor-第6章

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out　the　matrix　of　blood　relationships　and　power　on　Barrayar。　She　could　give　the　Emperors　family　name；　Vorbarra；　it　being　associated　with　the　name　of　the　planet；　but　beyond　that　she　was　quite　vague。
　She　absently　fingered　the　little　stunner；　and　tantalized　herself：　who　now　was　the　captive；　and　who　the　captor？　But　it　would　be　nearly　impossible　to　care　for　Dubauer　in　this　wilderness　by　herself。　She　had　to　have　supplies　for　him；　and　since　Vorkosigan　had　been　careful　not　to　say　exactly　where　his　cache　lay；　she　needed　the　Barrayaran　to　take　her　there。　Besides；　she　had　given　her　parole。　It　was　a　curious　insight　into　Vorkosigan　that　he　should　so　automatically　accept　her　bare　word　as　binding；　he　evidently　thought　along　the　same　lines　himself。
　The　east　began　to　grow　grey　at　last；　then　peach；　green；　and　gold　in　a　pastel　repeat　of　last　night's　spectacular　sunset。　Vorkosigan　stirred　and　sat　up；　and　helped　her　take　Dubauer　down　to　the　stream　to　wash。　They　had　another　breakfast　of　oatmeal　and　blue　cheese　dressing。　Vorkosigan　tried　mixing　his　together　this　time；　for　variety。　Cordelia　tried　alternating　bites；　to　see　if　that　would　help。　Neither　mented　aloud　on　the　menu。
　Vorkosigan　led　northwest　across　the　sandy；　brick…colored　plain。　In　the　dry　season　it　would　have　been　near…desert。　Now　it　was　brightly　decorated　with　fresh　green　and　yellow　growth；　and　dozens　of　varieties　of　low…growing　wildflowers。　Dubauer　did　not　seem　to　notice　them；　Cordelia　saw　sadly。
　After　about　three　hours　at　a　brisk　pace　they　came　to　their　first　check　of　the　day；　a　steep　rocky　valley　with　a　coffee…and…cream…colored　river　rushing　through　it。　They　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　escarpment　looking　for　a　ford。
　〃That　rock　down　there　moved；〃　Cordelia　observed　suddenly。
　Vorkosigan　pulled　his　field　scope　from　his　belt　and　took　a　closer　look。　〃You're　right。〃
　Half　a　dozen　coffee…and…cream…colored　lumps　that　looked　like　rocks　on　a　sandbar　proved　to　be　low…slung；　thick…limbed　hexapeds；　basking　in　the　morning　sun。
　〃They　seem　to　be　some　sort　of　amphibian。　I　wonder　if　they're　carnivores？〃　said　Vorkosigan。
　〃I　wish　you　hadn't　interrupted　my　survey　so　soon；〃　Cordelia　plained。　〃Then　I　could　have　answered　all　those　questions。　There　go　some　more　of　those　soap…bubble　things…goodness；　I　wouldn't　have　thought　they　could　grow　so　big　and　still　fly。〃
　A　flock　of　a　dozen　or　so　large　radials；　transparent　as　wineglasses　and　fully　a　foot　across；　came　floating　like　a　flight　of　lost　balloons　above　the　river。　A　few　of　them　drifted　over　to　the　hexapeds　and　settled　gently　on　their　backs；　flattening　over　their　withers　like　weird　berets。　Cordelia　borrowed　the　scope　for　a　closer　look。
　〃Do　you　suppose　they　could　be　like　those　birds　from　Earth；　that　pick　the　parasites　off　the　cattle？　Oh。　No；　I　guess　not。〃
　The　hexapeds　roused　themselves　with　hisses　and　whistles；　humping　their　bodies　in　a　kind　of　obese　bucking；　and　slid　into　the　river。　The　radials；　colored　now　like　wineglasses　filled　with　burgundy；　inflated　themselves　and　retreated　into　the　air。
　〃Vampire　balloons？〃　asked　Vorkosigan。
　〃Apparently。〃
　〃What　appalling　creatures。〃
　Cordelia　almost　laughed　at　his　revolted　look。　〃As　a　carnivore　yourself；　you　can't　really　condemn　them。〃
　〃Condemn；　no；　avoid；　yes。〃
　〃I'll　go　along　with　that。〃
　They　continued　upstream　past　a　frothing；　opaque　tan　waterfall。　After　about　a　kilometer　and　a　half　they　came　to　a　place　where　two　tributaries　joined；　and　stumbled　across　at　the　shallowest　place　they　could　find。　Crossing　the　second　branch；　Dubauer　lost　his　footing　as　a　rock　turned　under　him；　and　went　down　with　a　wordless　cry。
　Cordelia　tightened　her　grip　on　his　arm　convulsively；　and　perforce　went　with　him；　slipping　into　a　deeper　area。　Terror　shook　her；　that　he　might　be　swept　downstream　beyond　her　reach…those　amphibious　hexapeds；　sharp　rocks…the　waterfall！　Careless　of　the　water　filling　her　mouth；　she　grabbed　him　with　both　hands。　Here　they　went…no。
　Something　pulled　her　bodily　with　a　tremendous　counter…surge　against　the　rush　of　waters。　Vorkosigan　had　grabbed　her　by　the　back　of　the　belt；　and　was　hauling　them　both　toward　the　shallows　with　the　strength　and　style　of　a　stevedore。
　Feeling　undignified；　but　grateful；　she　scrambled　to　her　feet　and　pushed　the　coughing　Dubauer　up　the　far　bank。
　〃Thanks；〃　she　gasped　to　Vorkosigan。
　〃What；　did　you　think　I'd　let　you　drown？〃　he　inquired　wryly；　emptying　his　boots。
　Cordelia　shrugged；　embarrassed。　〃Well…at　least　we　wouldn't　be　delaying　you。〃
　〃Hm。〃　He　cleared　his　throat；　but　said　no　more。　They　found　a　rocky　place　to　sit；　eat　their　cereal　and　salad　dressing；　and　dry　awhile　before　moving　on。
　Kilometers　fell　behind　them；　while　their　view　of　the　great　mountain　to　their　right　scarcely　seemed　to　change。　At　some　point　Vorkosigan　took　a　bearing　known　only　to　himself；　and　led　them　more　westerly；　with　the　mountain　at　their　backs　and　the　sun　beginning　to　slant　into　their　eyes。
　They　crossed　another　watercourse。　ing　up　over　the　lip　of　its　valley；　Cordelia　nearly　stumbled　over　a　red…coated　hexaped；　lying　quite　still　in　a　depression　and　blending　perfectly　with　its　background。　It　was　a　delicately　formed　thing；　as　big　as　a　middle…sized　dog；　and　it　rippled　over　the　red　plains　in　graceful　bounds。
　Cordelia　woke　up　abruptly。　〃That　things　edible！〃
　〃The　stunner；　the　stunner！〃　cried　Vorkosigan。　She　pressed　it　hastily　into　his　hand。　He　fell　to　one　knee；　took　aim；　and　dropped　the　creature　in　one　burst。
　〃Oh；　good　shot！〃　cried　Cordelia　ecstatically。
　Vorkosigan　grinned　like　a　boy　over　his　shoulder　at　her；　and　jogged　after　his　prize。
　〃Oh；〃　she　murmured；　stunned　herself　by　the　effect　of　the　grin。　It　had　lit　his　face　like　the　sun　for　that　brief　instant。　Oh；　do　that　again；　she　thought；　then　shook　off　the　thought。　Duty。　Stick　to　duty。
　She　followed　him　to　where　the　animal　lay。　Vorkosigan　had　his　knife　out；　puzzling　over　where　to　begin。　He　could　not　cut　its　throat；　for　it　had　no　neck。
　〃The　brain　is　located　right　behind　the　eyes。　Maybe　you　could　pith　it　going　in　between　the　first　set　of　shoulder　blades；〃　Cordelia　suggested。
　〃That　would　be　quick　enough；〃　Vorkosigan　agreed；　and　did　so。　The　creature　shivered；　sighed；　and　died。　〃It's　early　to　make　camp；　but　there's　water　here；　and　driftwood　from　the　river　for　a　fire。　It　will　mean　extra　kilometers　tomorrow；　though；〃　he　warned。
　Cordelia　eyed　the　carcass；　thinking　of　roast　meat。　〃That's　all　right。〃
　Vorkosigan　hoisted　it　to　his　shoulder；　and　stood。　〃Where's　your　ensign？〃
　Cordelia　looked　around。　Dubauer　was　not　in　sight。　〃Oh；　lord；〃　she　inhaled；　and　ran　back　to　the　spot　where　they　had　been　standing　when　Vorkosigan　had　shot　dinner。　No　Dubauer。　She　approached　the　rim　of　the　watercourse。
　Dubauer　was　standing　by　the　stream；　arms　hanging　by　his　sides；　gazing　upward　blank　and　entranced。　Floating　softly　down　toward　his　upturned　face　was　a　large　transparent　radial。
　〃Dubauer；　no！〃　shrieked　Cordelia；　and　scrambled　down　the　bank　toward　him。　Vorkosigan　passed　her　with　a　bound；　and　they　raced　for　the　waterside。　The　radial　settled　over　Dubauer's　face　and　began　to　flatten；　and　he　flung　up　his　hands　with　a　cry。
　Vorkosigan　arrived　first。　He　grabbed　the　half…limp　thing　with　his　bare　hand　and　pulled　it　away　from　Dubauer's　face。　A　dozen　dark；　tendril…like　appendages　were　hooked　into　Dubauer's　flesh；　and　they　stretched　and　snapped　as　the　creature　was　ripped　off　its　prey。　Vorkosigan　flung　it　to　the　sand　and　stamped　on　it　as　Dubauer　fell　to　the　ground　and　curled　up　on　his　side。　Cordelia　tried　to　pull　his　hands　away　from　his　face。　He　was　making　strange；　hoarse　noises；　and　his　body　shook。　Another　seizure；　she　thought…but　then　realized　with　a　shock　that　he　was　weeping。
　She　held　his　head　on　her　lap　to　stop　the　wild　rocking。　The　spots　where　the　tendrils　had　penetrated　his　skin　were　black　in　the　center；　surrounded　by　rings　of　red　flesh　that　were　beginning　to　swell　alarmingly。　There　was　a　particularly　nasty　one　at　the　corner　of　his　eye。　She　plucked　one　of　the　remaining　embedded　tendrils　out　of　his　skin；　and　found　it　burned　her　fingers　acidly。　Apparently　the　creature　had　been　coated　all　over　with　a　similar　poison；　for　Vorkosigan　was　kneeling　with　his　hand　in　the　stream。　She　quickly　pulled　the　rest　of　them；　and　called　the　Barray